Radio Bulgaria turns 85

On 25 January, 1935 Tsar Boris III signed a decree making radio broadcasting state-owned, and the idea for Radio Sofia to broadcast in different languages came into being several months later. So it came about that on 16 February, 1936 the first transmissions targeted at other countries were launched – in the Bulgarian language, plus news bulletins in Esperanto. And even though the BNR's foreign-language programmes were only named "Radio Bulgaria" in 1992, it is the year in which the first broadcasts were launched that is considered to be its birthdate.

"From the very outset the engineers, technicians and editors of the radio, with first director Sirak Skitnik regarded it as a means of communication connecting Bulgarians around the world and bringing foreigners information about the country," says Antoaneta Radoslavova-Doycheva, curator of the Museum of History of Radio in Bulgaria.

On 31 January, 2012, Radio Bulgaria terminated its shortwave broadcasts and migrated to the Internet. "Still, I am happy the radio's foreign-language programmes have continued, albeit online, because the policy regarding Bulgarians abroad should be continued," Antoaneta Radoslavova says.

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